The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1887-12-17
Correspondence Baltimore County Union.
LETTER FROM BALTIMORE.
Some Views on the Tariff Question What
Free Trade May Accomplish
Popular Democratic Idea-The
Holidays, &C.. &c.
BALrIMoRE. December 13th. IL,


Messrs. Editors congress is now in session
and subjects are being introduced which have a
bearing moro or less upon the Presidents recent
annual message. OF course some of them are po-
litcal in their tendency and capital will be made
OF them to use in the coming Presidential CAM
paign. The Republicans as general thing OPP
pose the President in his views upon the tariff and
the income tax. They think there can be means
found of using the surplus money in the public
treasury other than those suggested in the mes
sage. In the first place it is known that our ma
ton owes national debt, incurred in our late in
ternecine strife, of something like two billions Of
dollars, upon which we have to pay the interest
10 meet and pay this off would of itself take more
than there is in the treasury several times over
Surprising we were suddenly plunged into difficult
ty somewhat similar to what we were at the be-
ginning of that strife all and more than our pres
ent overpus would be required to carry it on sue
cessfuly. On that account it is always safe to be
prepared and not compelled to borrow, as we were
before, until bankruptcy almost stared us in the
face. We are, at any rate, much in need now Of
more complete navy and more substantial har
Dor improvements for defense of oil large cities
than we now have. Seeing this would enable our
enemy to take advantage of it and go to war with
us before we could get in readiness or be prepared
to meet them. This state of things should never
be allowed even in times of profound peace. In
such case we can never be considered safe.-
other seacoast cities it is now known are not in
this way suitably protected and cannot be con-
sidered safe. There are many other things that
ought to be provided against in anticipating such
difficulties Then again, paying our soldiers as
we did before and all other war expenses, inclu-
ding pensions, &C.. would very soon absorb our
.--e snrrlns l.; --.a,
nous debt upon our hands. Ample opportunity,
iefore, is offered in making such improvements
so much needed even now in the cities referred
Toto spend the surplus treasure in paying our
people or mechanics in making them. Aside from
this it would afford them the means of profitable
labor and make us as nation feel safer. We
would be the customer to our own mechanics and
laborers to the extent of millions of dollars. We
would find, too, that there was no necessity of re-
ducing the tariff and income tax in the manner
advocated in the Presidents message. We have
reached very healthfu condition of affairs in our
finances and in the public treasury for q nation
still so largely in debt. The wealth of our soil
and the variety and abundance of its products is
what has kept US up and will do so, keeping
increasing in riches so long as we enjoy the bless
ings of peace, but this latter cannot be calcuat d
on as certainty while mans nature remains ;
it is and nations what they are. War in pa :,
seems part of mans nature.
do not find fault with the President for the
brevity of his message and for his discussing SO
few subjects-and that Of the tariff especially-so
fully, but think he will find himself somewhat
ahead of time with reference thereto. Many of
his arguments arc somewhat similar to the ideas
that have appeared for years past in the editorials
of the Baltimore Sun and other journals of that
stamp. and such as generally acquiesced in by the
larger body of the more radical portion of the
Democratic party. They, therefore, are not new.
If the majority, however, of the American people
think he is right and vote that way accept their
verdict. There is no doubt that the tariff and
financial questions referred to in the Presidents
recent message will be made the leading problems
with the Democrats in the approaching Presiden-
tial election. The Republicans will take issue
with them on these points. There are those who
accuse Mr.. Cleveland with being free-trader,
which, think, will not be accepted by the people
of our country. We must have protection of some
kind. We cannot go into competition with the
world, for that is what free-trade means. Cheap
materials with the protective tariff removed must
find a corresponding decline in labor, and there
fore our workingmen and mechanics will finally
be brought to level with foreigners, who get
limited pay for their labor. In other words it is
like pauper labor of Europe, which we cannot
easily become accustomed to. therefore believe
the Republicans will have the advantage of their
Democratic friends at the next Presidential cleo
ton, notwithstanding the popularity of Mr.. Ceve-
land, who will no doubt be the candidate on the
opposition ticket The political fight will begin
this Congress and continue, growing in intensity,
until one or the other is successful.
Every day brings Christmas nearer. have
spent most of my life in Baltimore and can freely
Say that it looks as encouraging for those who
have holiday goods for sale as on any previous
Christmas. There are many curious toys to be
seen and people are out in every direction looking
at them and some making their selections. As it
comes but once a year let the young folks and
those of maturer age make good use of it. The
are particularly c6ssfa holidays on all sides
The United States Federation of Labor assam.
bled here to-day and was fully attended. They
transacted considerable business They appear
to be an able intelligent organization of men. So
far they appear to have no political bias, but the
majority of them are said to be Republicans. They
very wisely eschew everything like anarchy, re-
pudiating them entirely from the association. 1t
is likely to be q strong party and will have good
influence ..~f ur
The old Mercantile Library has at last been
fully resuscitated. 1t will 60 into operation very
soon, fully organized, and prove particularly use
full to the public. 1t will contain many books not
found in the Pratt Library.
The Maryland State Grange met here to-day
and was we'll attended by farmers and others
This is an important association and deserves full
encouragement.
I see that very strong efforts are now making
to have the Democratic National Convention held
in New York city, and / doubt not it will assem-
BILE there. Everything must be done towards
pleasing Mr.. Cleveland's friends for without that
State he cannot be elected, and possibly with it
he might be defeated, if the Republicans are
united, as they must be-
see by news from abroad that Mr.. Blaine is
still in the political ring and makes rather strong
criticism on the Presidents late message. His
friends were in power in selecting Chicago as the
place for holding the coming Republican Pres-
Dental Convention. This looks ominous. say
fhav Of of fharo unik fhav
may be defeated they the last time. No
mistake can be risked again. That Mr.. Cleveland
will be the Democratic nominee is beyond dispute,
and he will be hard to beat. These are stubborn
facts and they may as well be looked in the face
in time. NEsToR.
mr The Baltimore Evening Neaos is again
booming Mr.. George W. Chids, of the Philadel-
phia Ledger, as a candidate for President. The
Philadelphia Times says that if Mr.. Chids should
become the Republican nominee there would be
trouble in the White House, and adds "Mrs.
Cleveland's admiration for him is we'll known, and
as she pledged him with her best wishes in the
crystal waters of Wootten, it is difficult to under
stand how she could support the man of destiny.
Them there is Hector, the dog which wags its tail
at the very first glimpse of Brother Childs' benign
face, and which never did like the President any
how. Where would he be in the awful struggle
And that short-horned COW which left Wootton
with regret raging in its peaceful breast Would
not she, too, want to pack her grip-sacks with
campaign slips and start on stumping tour
The complications that might arise couldn't be
settled by anything less than an Inter National
| Peace Commission"
NB> The law of New York abolishing the use oil
car stoves does not 60 into effect until next May
the Legislature deeming it wise to give the rail-
way companies of the State ample time in which
to select the best known system of heating and
make the necessary changes to carry it into effect
The companies have concluded, however, that il
they must make the change they might as well do
it at once. The formal Inauguration of the steam
heating process on the New York Central and
Hudson River Railway took place last week. The
same system has already been adopted by the
Delaware and Hudson, Erie, Delaware, Lacka-
Il